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ICE confirmed Wilmer Fuentes Mejia is in the country illegally. Mejia was charged with hit-and-run and involuntary manslaughter in connection with a deadly crash in Durham in September.

Man charged in deadly Durham hit-and-run was in country illegally

ONE SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS, WRAL NEWS COVERAGE. YOU CAN GO. >> A 61 YEAR-OLD DURHAM AND DIED IN A HIT AND RUN NEW TONIGHT. WE NOW KNOW THE MAN CHARGED IN HIS DEATH WAS IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY. I HAD ALREADY BEEN DEPORTED TWICE ONLY ON WRAL. SARAH KRUEGER SPOKE WITH THE VICTIM'S FAMILY WHO FEELS LIKE THE SYSTEM FAILED THEM TIME AND TIME AGAIN. >> THIS IS WHERE THAT HIT AND RUN HAPPENED HERE ON CHALK LEVEL ROAD. RICHARD FERGUSON'S FAMILY SAYS HE HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF THE BUS TO HEAD HOME FOR MANY REASONS. THEY FEEL LIKE THIS CRASH NEVER SHOULD'VE HAPPENED. >> MY BROTHER WAS A WONDERFUL PERSON SPEAKING TO ME BY ZOOM FROM OUT OF TOWN. BUT BEST FRIEND. A SPIRITUAL ADVISER. WE REALLY TWINS. 2 OF THE 11 SURVIVING SIBLINGS OF RICHARD FERGUSON JUNIOR DESCRIBED HIM AS A LOVING PERSON AND HARD WORKER. >> HE WAS IN HIS 26 YEAR WORKING FOR THE DURHAM HOUSING AUTHORITY. AROUND 11:00PM SEPTEMBER 13TH FAMILY SAYS HE HAD JUST STEPPED OFF THE BUS ON HIS WAY HOME FROM HIS SECOND JOB. THAT DOLLAR GENERAL POLICE SAY 30 YEAR-OLD WILMER MEJIA RAN OFF THE ROAD, HIT 2 SIGNS AND THEN IT FERGUSON EVEN DESERVE. >> TO GET HIT. AND CAN KILL THE NEED IS EARLY. >> HE DIDN'T DESERVE NONE OF >> POLICE SAY MEJIA WAS DRIVING WITH A REVOKED LICENSE. HE'S CHARGED WITH THAT HIT AND RUN AND INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER. WRAL WAS THE ONLY MEDIA THERE WHEN HE APPEARED IN COURT BY VIDEO EARLIER THIS MONTH. IT WAS THERE. THE PROSECUTOR SAID MEJIA HAS BEEN DEPORTED TWICE. ICE CONFIRMS HE'S IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY. COURT RECORDS SHOW MEJIA HAD A DWI CHARGE OUT OF WAKE COUNTY IN 2020, BUT HE WAS LET OUT WITHOUT A BOND AND THEN DID NOT SHOW UP FOR COURT IF THEY HAD NEVER GOT OUT AND BUY MY BROTHER WOULD BE ALIVE TODAY. >> WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO DO IT IS WEIGHING THAT HISTORY. THE DURHAM JUDGE SET ME. HE IS BOND AT 5 MILLION DOLLARS AFTER COURT. FERGUSON'S FAMILY EXPRESSING RELIEF AND I PRAISE GOD, HOLLAND. JULIA, THANK YOU TO YOU. IS THEY FEEL HOPEFUL MEJIA WILL REMAIN BEHIND BARS AS THE CASE GOES TO CONCLUSION IT DOES NOT BELONG OUTSIDE IS GOING TO HURT SOMEONE ELSE. AGAIN. AND THEN WHAT? SOMEONE ELSE HAS TO DIE. COURT RECORD SHOW THE SUSPECT AND THE VICTIM LIVED IN THE SAME APARTMENT COMPLEX, WHICH IS JUST STEPS AWAY. >> FROM THE CRASH SCENE HERE SARAH KRUEGER, WRAL NEWS IN DURHAM. REACHED OUT TO ICE TO ASK WHY ME HE WAS DEPORTED IN

Deadly hit-and-run suspect was in country illegally, ICE says

Wilmer Fuentes Mejia

North Carolina lawmakers will attempt to redraw congressional districts

voting map, redistricting

Amid struggles, Belichick defends GM Lombardi, Tar Heels' roster construction

Bill Belichick stands behind program despite report of divide in UNC locker room

Educators turn to state after feds cut 'Farm to School' program

A group of educators, policymakers and others is asking state lawmakers to provide $2.5 million to replace part of the $12.5 million cut by the Trump administration.

Fact check: Do doctors recommend '80 different vaccines' for small children?

Trump and Pfizer Announce Deal to Lower Some Medicaid Drug Prices

Three years after Hedingham mass shooting, community remembers those killed

Austin Thompson

Bill Belichick expresses confidence in UNC's 'process,' refutes claims he's seeking exit

Bill Belichick

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The state's Medical Debt Relief Program has relieved debts for more than 2.5 million North Carolinians, totaling billions of dollars. Officials say it's only the start.

More than $6.5B in medical debt relieved through NC program. Stein calls it 'life changing news'

N.C. health, mental health, Medicaid generic

North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick said a documentary highlighting the football team's in-season journey is still "a work in progress."

'A work in progress': Bill Belichick leaves open possibility of documentary on UNC football team

A file photo of UNC head coach Bill Belichick speaking.

Springfield Middle School in Lucama is set to fully reopen on Oct. 20, a year after a powerful EF3 tornado caused major damage.

Springfield Middle School fully reopens next week, a year after devastating EF3 tornado

Drone 5 flew over Springfield Middle School on Aug. 9, 2024, a day after an EF3 tornado ravaged the area.

In 31 years of marriage, Cheryl Bach and her husband never took their honeymoon, but a scratch-off lottery ticket changed those plans.


Wake County woman decides to take honeymoon after winning $1 million from lottery

$10 Million Spectacular

Derrin Mallory said when he didn't get better after a few days with a fever, his mother took him to their local pediatrician in Roanoke Rapids. A subsequent referral to a Greenville hospital led to a diagnosis that changed everything.


UNC student reflects on overcoming two bouts of cancer

Derrin Mallory

Purdue is No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press men's college basketball poll for the first time.

AP Top 25 poll: Duke ranked No. 6, UNC comes in at No. 25 and NC State is unranked

Duke coach Jon Scheyer looks ahead to 2025-2026 season

Three people have filed a federal lawsuit against Warrenton officer Mark Oakley. The suit accuses Oakley of improper force, backed by bodycam footage, and claims town officials ignored his pattern of behavior. The plaintiffs seek damages and accountability.

People tased by Warrenton police officer file federal lawsuit

Mark Oakley

A few more cloudy days are ahead this week, before sunshine comes out in time for the start of the N.C. State Fair.



Cloudy, cool 40-degree mornings on tap this week

Cooler mornings ahead this week

The Atlantic hurricane season runs each year from June 1 to Nov. 30. The most active time is late August into October, but it's possible to see a hurricane make landfall any time of the year.

Hurricane season 2025: Tropical Storm Lorenzo forms, expected to remain in Atlantic

Tropical Storm Lorenzo as of 5 a.m., 10/13/2025

A water main break has closed a section of Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh until at least Monday evening.

Water main break closes stretch of Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh, could impact Monday commute

Stretch of Blue Ridge Road closed in Raleigh for water system repairs

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You can meet some of your favorite people from WRAL at the N.C. State Fair this year.


Visit WRAL at the NC State Fair

2025 State Fair Logo

Between Tuesday night's Chris Brown concert at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh and crowds flocking to the North Carolina State Fair, there is bound to be a lot of traffic this week in the area of Blue Ridge Road.


Chris Brown, Billie Eilish concerts could snarl traffic near NC State Fair this week

Carter-Finley Stadium

The hire of a Super Bowl champion and future Pro Football Hall of Famer brought national attention to the University of North Carolina football program. But the culture of the team under Bill Belichick has turned that attention from a positive to a negative just five games into the season.


Chapel Bill thrill to turmoil on the Tar Heels: How the Belichick era devolved in just 5 games

Tar Heel Turmoil

Gavin Edwards got a crashing introduction to one of his neighbors Wednesday when a deer crashed through the storm door of his Fuquay-Varina home.


Caught on cam: Deer burst into Fuquay-Varina home

Deer on doorbell cam

Photos captured in October 2025 show damage to Outer Banks homes in Buxton after a tropical system and nor'easter pounded North Carolina's coast. All photos courtesy of Donny Bowers.

PHOTOS: 10 homes collapse in Outer Banks in 2025

More Outer Banks homes collapse into ocean

Two high-level sources said the University of North Carolina is not currently looking into an exit strategy for coach Bill Belichick, whose contract states he can leave for a $1 million buyout. However, if UNC were to fire him without cause, the university would owe him $30 million total.

Bill Belichick buyout options: What UNC football coach's contract says

A file photo of UNC coach Bill Belichick on the sidelines.

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Three years ago, five people were gunned down in the Hedingham subdivision in Raleigh.

Hedingham shooting victims remembered 3 years after tragedy

End-of-watch ceremony for Gabriel Torres

Fayetteville Tech lockdown lifted, student recalls hearing gunshots from closet

Fayetteville Technical Community College Spring Lake campus

Fact check: Trump says small children get 80 different vaccines

250 trees for 250 years: Raleigh Rotary planting green to celebrate red, white and blue

American 250 Oak City Tree campaign

 Don't Waste Your Money: Basic Economy can be a deal if you travel light

FILE - A traveler looks out at an airplane at Salt Lake City International Airport, in Salt Lake City, July 3, 2024. 

UNC student turns two cancer battles into mission to find cure

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Guns seized from home of man charged in Southport shooting

Local News

Authorities find no evidence of shooter after Fayetteville Tech lockdown

Deputy involved in serious crash with pickup truck in Moore County

Person found dead in burning camper in Wendell

Government shutdown could be the longest ever, Speaker Johnson warns

Nation/World

Trump sets off for the Mideast to mark a ceasefire deal and urge Arab leaders to seize the moment

Trump warns Russia he may send Ukraine long-range Tomahawks if Moscow doesn't settle war soon

Vance warns 'deeper' cuts ahead for federal workers as shutdown enters 12th day

Shooting at packed South Carolina bar kills 4 and injures at least 20 others

Mark your calendar and set your alarm for Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 9 a.m. That's when tickets go on sale for the popular Holiday Express train at Raleigh's Pullen Park. This family event often sells out in minutes.


Holiday Express tickets go on sale Tuesday

Holiday Express

Weekend best bets: NC State Fair, Billie Eilish

Six of âThe Greatestâ Songs

Beer in Raleigh: Your weekend brewery crawl guide

Beer

North Carolina State Fair Guide 2025

SAS Championship adds free family fun event

SAS Championship

Foodie News: Stuffed pretzel shop opens in Raleigh

Freshly baked homemade pretzels

Out & About

Fact check: Could Affordable Care Act health premiums rise 75% by next month?

Politifact

Fact check: Jeffries says GOP 'effectively ended' medical research in the US

Fact check: Did Democrats propose to give health care to immigrants illegally in the US?

Federal government shutdown: Live fact-checks as Democrats, GOP spar over health care, layoffs

Fact-checking claims that Erika Kirk's charity is tied to trafficking

How they voted: NC congressional votes for the week ending Oct. 9

NC Capitol

NC lawmaker facing sex crime charges appears in court from hospital

Prosecutors: NC legislator facing child sex charges lived with victim for months, faces $1M bond

Gov. Stein continues push for mental health aid focused on public safety

Stein, NC Democratic Party call on legislator to resign after sex charges against a minor

NC isn't meeting federal special education requirements. State officials point to the teacher shortage

Education

After brief suspension, UNC prof back in the classroom, advocating for free speech

Reinstated professor speaks about ordeal at UNC

Teacher of the Week: Nancy Gonzalez

Durham schools look at solutions for classified staff salaries

Moms who overcame addiction helping others through growing statewide network

WRAL In Depth

Man says he lost $200K to executives at center of WRAL investigation

Privatize NC's liquor sales? Leader of DOGE-style group wants to explore the cost

North Carolina child fatality group links social media algorithms, AI chat bots to suicide risks

NC State suit admits 'extensive' PCB contamination, stops short of linking cancer cases to Poe Hall

Titans fire coach Brian Callahan after 4-19 record and 1-5 start to second season

WRALSportsFan

Dowdle has 239 yards from scrimmage vs. former team as Panthers beat Cowboys on FG as time expires

Mahomes leads the Chiefs to a 30-17 victory over Lions, and a fistfight erupts at the finish

Penn State fires coach James Franklin amid midseason free fall in a lost season

Tears of triumph: Denny Hamlin wins emotional race in Las Vegas, secures championship spot

Volleyball Top 25: CSD, Falls Lake, and Perquimans join this week's statewide Top 25

HighSchoolOT

NC Football Top 25: Northern Guilford joins as the rest of the state sees little change

NC Top 25: At end of regular season, Myers Park girls tennis leads statewide rankings

HighSchoolOT's boys soccer statewide rankings has just one new team this week

HighSchoolOT's 2025 area code Top 15 rankings for volleyball

A man said he gave CJF America's founder and  chief financial officer nearly $200,000 to invest, but now fears the money is gone after learning of criminal charges and allegations against the company's executives

Man claims he lost $200K to two men at center of WRAL investigation

WRAL Investigates found Raleigh Firefighters are working a lot of overtime. Raleigh's Mayor Pro Tempore is now planning to help cut back.

WRAL Investigation into firefighter overtime spurs call to action

After a WRAL investigation showing Raleigh firefighters worked more than 117,000 hours of overtime in one year, Mayor Pro Tempore Stormie Forte requested that the city manager and fire chief formally assess firefighter burnout, appropriate staffing levels, and the need for a shift modification study.

WRAL investigation into Raleigh firefighter overtime spurs call to action by mayor pro tem

Raleigh fire truck at Station No. 5

A church in Edgecombe County is a symbol of the power of a hurricane. WRAL's Tar Heel Traveler shares the spirit of a town, committed to keeping its history upright.

Tar Heel Traveler: Princeville 

One local man who has served in the lions club for over 6 decades. WRAL's Tar Heel Traveler shares the states and continents he's traveled to over that time span and what he says keeps him going.

Tar Heel Traveler: The Longest Lion 

WRAL anchor/reporter Dan Haggerty answers who cleans up the debris after an Outer Banks home collapses into the Atlantic Ocean. He also answered questions about garbage is converted into energy.

In Depth with Dan: Beachfront homes collapse in NC's Outer Banks, converting garbage into energy

In Depth with Dan: Who cleans up the debris when a beachfront collapses in NC's Outer Banks?

WRAL Specialists

5 On Your Side: October safe infant sleep month

Chefs and home cooks disagree: Is non-stick cookware safe/

Restaurant Ratings: Jin Jin Gourmet, IHOP, Yaya Tea

5 On Your Side: How to save money in the kitchen

5 On Your Side

Chapel Bill thrill to turmoil on the Tar Heels: UNC coach to face questions Monday

NC State alums raise concerns of evidence tampering at Poe Hall

NC State admits 'extensive' PCB contamination in lawsuit, stops short of linking cancer cases to Poe Hall

Battling fires and burnout: Raleigh firefighters worked more than 117,000 hours of OT in one year

Investigations

Grace Ueng: Here's what high-definition leadership looks like

Donald Thompson: Brianna Pinto aims to transform lives through soccer

Annual 'All Things Open' conference approaches its 'lucky' 13th year

Guest column: Your job is safer from AI than Silicon Valley wants you to believe

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